It’s the Jubilympics!

Not one to miss out on a party I’ve had a right royal month creating for up and coming events of summer.  So imagine my delight when two summer events fall into my lap this month.

First up, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, an excuse to paint the town in patriotic colours, wave a flag and eat cake. And it’s an opportunity to get arty too!

 On Saturday 4^th May I had a sell out success as children and their families flocked to Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre to create their own celebratory crockery.  It seems everyone wanted to mark the event as the public gathered around craft tables designing and colouring their Jubilee Plates, no doubt ready for their street part this weekend.  I’m quite sure Mage would be pleased as punch to see her regal portrait replicated by so many eager Rochdale kids.  In fact, the arty session proved so popular it had to close before time as I ran out of resources!

I was delighted when I received the commission to create a gigantic table cloth celebrating Gallery Oldham’s 10^th Birthday and of course the royal event of the year, the Jubilee.  Out came the markers once more as I doodled past street parties from Oldham’s smoggy archive.  I thoroughly enjoyed searching through sepia photographs, stumbling on drizzly day photographs of children waving flags, the Queen’s visit to the cotton mills and a fully adorned Farantis Factory, covered from top to bottom in banners and bunting declaring ;’ God Save The Queen’.

And now Oldham have a nine meter cloth fit for an artist banquet.  The illustrations feature street scenes, a marching band, the queen’s corgi’s and not forgetting the magic ingredient marmite, no picnic would be complete without it!

And so on to the Olympics.  I’ve just today finished my thoroughly enjoyable week as artist for Holy Trinity Primary School’s Olympics Week.  The kids have been more active than a pentathlete squad this week, racing, swimming, long jumping, to name but a few!  Luckily they managed to squeeze in enough time to make some masterpieces to mark their week too.

Working with each class I created artistic activities to match the Olympic country they were representing.  From raging Chinese dragons to massive Matisse murals, from the delicatly decorated plates of Greece to the chaotic paint splashes of Pollack, each class took part in making sensational art.  Their finished work will be showcased in the school this week, what an artistic adventure!

Finally, don’t miss out on the Jubilympics fun, on Saturday 2^nd June  you can join me at Touchstones for an arty Jubilee party 10.30am- 3.30pm, and on Thursday why not come and create an Olympics coaster at Rebecca’s Coffee Shop, Littleborough, 10am – 12 noon.  See you there!

Make it in March! (or add it to April...)

I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers to tell people about amazing events after they’ve happened? Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for the scribbled, criss cross calendar in the kitchen would you really remember birthdays of far flung relatives? 

I struggle remembering what day of the week it is, let alone who’s candles will be blown out next, so it might not come as much of a surprise that I’m one of ‘those’ people who enthusiastically tell others about an art session after it’s taken place, oops!

So to help clear my conscience and keep you in the loop here’s a list of some smashing spring sessions that you can take part in this month and next:

• Wednesday 28^th March: Make a coaster mosaic, Rochdale Emporium
• Thursday 5^th April: Family Creations, Rebecca’s Coffee Shop, Littleborough,  10am-12noon
• Friday 13^th April: Make a coaster mosaic, Rochdale Emporium

And look out in May for an exciting garden mosaic making day in Littleborough, felt jewellery and printing in Rochdale, and as for June and July... crickey, we’ve hardly even scratched the surface...

I’ll still be running my schools sessions, crash, bag and walloping across the classrooms of Rochdale.  I’m still causing chaos in a costume at Touchstones museum and I’m currently creating several illustration commissions for business across the North West.  Without your enthusiastic involvement in my arts sessions I’d be left painting the garden fence.  So get that calendar off the wall and make sure you make a date for an Art.Works workshop.   

Go on, squeeze it in, right there next to great Auntie Mildred’s 76^th birthday!

Feel good in February!

There's lots of reasons to feel good in February, the days begin to stretch a little longer. Spring bulbs suddenly add a burst of colour where once it was just one long stretch of murky muddy brown and, as if that's not enough, Oldham run their ' well good arts' event! 

It's a glorious celebration of all things arty, from interactive performance to Zumba Gold (strictly for over 60s). African drumming to arty bike riding, it's a festival devoted to the feel good factor of arts.  Needless to say its something I was delighted to be involved in.

My task was to devise an interactive doodle, introducing the activities on offer and inviting arty participation, so how do I do is?

Step one: research the activities on offer, contact printers to make sure i now the scale of my pictures

Step two: get designing, doodling and creating

Step three: draw up designs in pencil and marker

Step four: send the designs to the printers, who print them off 100 times, what a reel!

Step five: my designs are scattered and plastered across the venue for Oldham's 'Well Good Arts' festival. Kids are doodling into the design, mums are carefully colouring in the lines and coasters are placed upon them as they cover the tables in the cafe.  

In fact; They're in the entrance, they're  up the stairs, they're in the cafe. Take a look in the library when choose your book!

So feel inspired, feel good, get some well good arts into your life as you spring into February!

Oh and thankyou to @Traffordmedia for doing a great print job for me.

Beat the January blues, adult craft courses

Hello all and a happy new year.

Art.Works' theme this January is 'New Year, New stART' (see what I did there?!), beat the winter blues by dipping into new adlut art sessions I will be running at Ebor Studios, Littlebough (see the link at the bottom of the email for directions.

the sessions are an informal hands on introduction to three art forms: silk painting, mosic making and felt making.  They promise to be a relaxed and fun way to spend those dreary winter mornings.  You do not need to book onto each session, just the ones you fancy, however, you will need to book proir to the date.  

each session is £10, including all materials and copius amounts of tea!

all the information can be found on the attached poster.

I look forward to meeting you there

Ebor studios address: Ebor Studio, William Street, Littleborough. OL15 8JP

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